Spy scandal brings out Bishop's best

However embarrassing the allegations about Australia spying on Indonesia might be, you can't fault the manner in which the Abbott Government has handled it, writes Thom Woodroofe.

As basically every one of our former intelligence agents has lined up to tell us over the last fortnight, Australia probably has been spying on the communications of senior political leaders throughout the region. Our lack of immediate representations to Washington about their own intimate spy racket basically confirmed as much. But for all the largely confected outrage channelled to us from the Indonesians in particular, you can't fault the manner in which the Abbott Government has handled it.

Australia of course has a longstanding convention on not commenting on intelligence matters. That is probably a good thing for our own security, but as we have seen over the last week it is also intensely politically convenient if dodged appropriately. Of course this is not always the case, and earlier this year the former Government's refusal to simply clarify the sanctity of a new spy agency building in Canberra whose construction plans were seemingly compromised made it look rather feckless.

But when it comes to this latest saga, instead of getting stuck in a semantic diplomatic debate of "who did what", the new foreign minister Julie Bishop has instead launched a full-blown charm offensive on Indonesia to great effect.

Before departing Australia on a planned trip to the Bali Democracy Forum late last week, Bishop quickly posted not one but two photos of her meeting with, and receiving gifts from, the Indonesian Parliamentary Commission in Canberra. Then either by design or diplomacy ensured she was standing next to Indonesia's urbane foreign minister Marty Natalegawa for the Forum's obligatory 'family photo' and dinner so plenty of b-roll footage caught the two on camera rubbing shoulders and smiling gleefully. Bishop's own Twitter account over the last week has read like a tale of two young lovers posting happy snaps at every opportunity, cropped to exclude those around them so immersed they are in their own world.

This left the Opposition for their part dangling, knowing full well that if there was any truth to the allegations they equally occurred under their watch. Instead, the best attack front they could muster was that Bishop should be dispatched on a fence-mending trip to Indonesia immediately. But the reality is that had Bishop visited Indonesia immediately once these revelations broke and without any other purpose, it would have blown this up into a full scale media circus and left Australia looking like little more than a repentant child begging for forgiveness. While that is seemingly what the new Defence Minister David Johnson now seems to have done, it is more likely he was just keen to leave the whole debacle to the foreign ministries and fly under the radar.

And as has since been astutely reported over the last week, Natalegawa is no doubt playing in-part at least to a domestic audience ahead of a planned Presidential poll in 2014. While he won't be a candidate himself, he will be thinking about what role he could play in any future Indonesian administration where the frontrunner remains uncertain.

Indeed, the fact that Natalegawa during this whole saga was happy to pen a joint op-ed on a separate matter with Bishop, and pose for smiling photos together in both Perth and Bali, underscores this point. His body language oozed normality and warmth, but his words back to his domestic public indicated something else entirely. At one point he even seemed to be making it up as he went along, responding to a journalist's question about what this all means by joking: "Let's keep that for the next press conference."

In large part this whole soap opera has been the equivalent of a long-standing and well-known affair suddenly becoming public, leaving the honourable and devoted partner to assert themselves a little to avoid looking weak and powerless - even though they have every intention of keeping up appearances and staying together in the long-term. Indonesia knows we have been spying on them in some form, it is just the magnitude and proximity of the operation that caused them to have to be seen to respond in the way they did. Indeed, as the former DFAT Secretary Richard Woolcott has highlighted, it probably had more to do with the potential involvement of the Americans than anything else, and according to ANU Professor Michael Wesley, their mere outrage shows the importance of the relationship.

But whether deliberate or not, Bishop seemed to pick their playbook from the outset; perhaps because she was still listening to their calls. Either way, her cocktail of not commenting on the matter - but equally not avoiding it - has proved effective. While the risk-averse mandarins in DFAT were no doubt urging Bishop to take this course, it must have been politically tempting for her to somehow leak a harmless story about Indonesian spying herself and make Natalegawa look little more than the pot calling the kettle black. To her credit no such leak occurred.

So after a little bit of a song and dance, our relationship with Indonesia will pick up exactly where it left off, as perfect or not as that may be. Meantime, the new government has passed an important early diplomatic test. The next test is how it will now manage our substantive relationship with Indonesia, who clearly seem intent on muscling up to the new kids on the block down south.

Thom Woodroofe is a foreign affairs analyst. Follow him on Twitter @thomwoodroofe. View his full profile here.

Comments (48)

Patrick53:

Im sure Abbott's cretinous comment on the 7.30 report was warmly received in Indonesia as well..''We only use spying for good''...now that quote surely will go down in as quite possibly the most undiplomatic and dumbest in political history..ever..

dan:

Dave:

15 Nov 2013 2:30:12pm

While it's good that the foreign minister has a basic grasp of diplomacy, this storm in a teacup was always going to blow over. Indonesia was hardly going to start answering questions about their own intelligence practices, so it's no surprise that there was a few days of bleating about Australia then back to business as usual.

It's also odd that this article highlights a few details of domestic Indonesian politics while ignoring the elephant in the room of the whole boatpeople issue. Do you think that was NOT a factor in the Indonesian reaction to the espionage bizzo?

WhoVotedForPrivatisation:

15 Nov 2013 2:32:42pm

Not only do I not believe this woman being a capable FM, I also believe where ever she or any LNP politician travel overseas they`ll not only embarrass themselves but Australia as well.What now precedes Bishop in her FM job is Abbott`s "Climate Change is Crap" statement,now known globally. Just like Downer when he was FM,LNP incompetence in overseas relations will no doubt hurt us again.

China:

15 Nov 2013 7:05:37pm

mynunderstanding of the Canberra diplomatic community is that Julie Bishop is highly regarded and respected for being across her portfolio. This is in stark contrast to the reputation Bob Carr had in the same community as lazy and pompous. I think yourroblem with Julie Bishop relates more to your opinion of the coalition than any real knowledge of her abilities.

mark:

Bishop has bounced around the region like one of those Hawaiian dashboard ornaments, swishing her shirt and nodding her head but looking entirely vacuous and plastic.

In contrast Natalegawa has looked like a wise and accomplished statesman, strategically leaking statements which show up many different areas of the broadly incompetent Abbott govt. Natalegawa had almost no profile prior to Bishop taking up the foreign ministry

Provided Julie can just keep nodding and saying nothing, in Thom's eyes she will be highly successful... meanwhile all the Abbott govt's secrets will be exposed, and their stakes in the region will sink ever lower.

I'm sure foreign ministers in the region love dealing with Bishop.. she makes them look very, very good.

DeepFritz:

15 Nov 2013 2:42:53pm

We are probably spying on them, they are probably spying on us. No real news here to me...

The revelation of this by one power "discovering" that another power is spying on them is usually used as a tool to gain advantage in a deal. For a full study case on something similar watch "Yes Prime Minister" The diplomatic incident. All about a French Dog that must be held in Quaranteen according to English law, in order to gain the upper hand when it came to the Channel Tunnel laws...

Now having been rational, can I blame Abbott? No. Can I blame the former government? No.

Bring it on:

The labor/green alliance can gain a lot politically by destroying our relationship with Indonesia.

Short term political gain is much more important to the country than establishing long term LNP relationships with our neighbours.

We can re-establish or relationship with Indonesia when the Labor/green alliance is re-elected. Simple.

I hope Christine Milne totally destroys Abbott's relationship with Indonesia. It will make it easier to get a progressive government back and bury the LNP for good.

We should be encouraging asylum seekers from all over the world to come to Aust via Indonesia. The more refugees in Indonesia and the more boats that come, brings the end of the abbott government even closer.

Its worth taking 50 million refugees just to get rid of that Abbott person.

ScotchCarb:

15 Nov 2013 2:47:00pm

Unfortunately people are happily going to fault the Abbott Government for their handling of this - in their worlds the government is a 'train wreck', 'circus' and this will be included in the description of them 'lurching from one mistake to another'.

The Abbott Government could tomorrow announce they've created legislation that solves world hunger and the peanut gallery would continue to fling the proverbial.

Rattus rattus:

"Australia of course has a longstanding convention on not commenting on intelligence matters. "

Tony Abbott blew that convention out of the water on ABC's 7.30 Report this week. Trying to pin the alleged spying on the Labor government was tantamount to an admission that spying took place.

What a cheap shot from a Prime Minister of Australia. He ought to realise that he represents this country, both at home and internationally. Taking potshots at the opposition and letting the spying cat out of the bag at the same time are not doing Australia's reputation any good. It's time this so-called adult matured.

ribald:

15 Nov 2013 3:04:06pm

is this abbott govt patsy, thom woodroofe for real? bishop's, abbott's and morrison's handling of our relationship with Indonesia has been a complete balls up, and no amount of spin can change that. stop the lies, I say!

What the:

ribald:

15 Nov 2013 3:08:22pm

abbott's unconvincing mea culpa to the indonesians as one of his first acts as PM was pretty much a "repentant child begging for forgiveness", especially in light of his callous xenophobic comments about Indonesia when he was opposition leader.

Kagey One:

15 Nov 2013 3:10:23pm

Does this faultless handling include the implicit admission that it did occur, through Tony's question on air: "when did this happen"; answered by himself as during the LAST government.We have been told that the government doesn't comment on intelligence matters. This slip raises the question of just how much intelligence was exercised in framing Tony's question. I wonder if the government will discuss this intelligence question.

Russ:

Alpo:

15 Nov 2013 3:20:40pm

"Meantime, the new government has passed an important early diplomatic test"... What new government, the Australian new government you mean? They did what?.... Oh yes, after being asked by the Indonesians to return just two boats (only one more than Labor) they were told to take all the boats or else.... That's what the Abbott Government is doing at the moment, getting the boats "on board".

So, in other words, they shout at home with strong masculine voice and beat their chest gorilla style, as soon as they have to do the real job they repent, genuflect, recite a couple of mea culpas, ask for forgiveness from the Indonesians and take the boats to Christmas Island, Nauru or PNG.... and the boats keep coming.

John51:

15 Nov 2013 3:26:19pm

Thom, while I agree with the general context of your argument, I disagree that the government has got out of it as easily as you have said. Yes it is right and proper for Julie Bishop to go and do the so called charm offensive. And I agree she is the best one to do and not just because she is Foreign minister.

But even with that charm offensive, Indonesia has not forgiven or let Australia off the hook. They have openly voiced their disagreement and concern. And they have put Abbott, Morrison and the coalition back in their box in opposing the governments actions of asylum seekers.

Therefor I see no letting Australia off the hook by Indonesia. And with the Indonesian election coming up next year I see plenty of frosty occasions coming up by Indonesia with Australia.

In fact this spying disclosure along with past behaviour by this government when in opposition and since has fallen right into the lap of politics in Indonesia. And I have a feeling it will be used to the full extent by Indonesia in the lead up to their election.

So sorry to say this Thom, and I usually have respect for your articles, but I think this is a little bit of a whitewash here by you. To what extent our better relationship gets picked up after their election will depend very much on who wins. As it will depend on how good our diplomatic skills are at that time to resurrect that relationship.

That relationship may very much depend on how much this is left to Julie Bishop. And it may depend on the extent Abbott and Morrison restrain from ruffling feathers even further with the Indonesians.

Judy Bee:

15 Nov 2013 3:27:16pm

Thom, relationships with Indonesia with fledgling Julie Bishop might not be as efficiently performed as you state here. It is a little early to say they have passed an important early diplomatic test. The Abbot government's history of failed border protection diplomacy is a bigger concern than the confections of spy vs spy.

We have to remember the fraudulent claims made by Julie Bishop before the election, regarding Indonesian agreement to the popular 'turn back the boats' policy.

Brujo:

Loubar:

15 Nov 2013 3:38:04pm

I both can and do disagree with your article Thom. The Liberals have not handled Indonesia well. Sure, spying has gone on for years; that is a given. Everyone is doing it to each other. Julie Bishop not commenting on it or pointing out that the Indonesians are in the same game is the only way to respond; to have done otherwise would have made her look incompetent. The Liberals laughable mantra to turn back the boats has done all the damage already. They'll be scrambling for some time to recover from the stupidity of that statement. The Indonesians don't need to "muscle up to the new kids on the block down south." We're the ones who are going to have to start listening to them. We are minor players in the South East Asian area, no matter how much we might like to pretend otherwise.

CB:

15 Nov 2013 3:47:38pm

I think that Thom Woodroofe is pretty right in his analysis. My understanding is that it is part of the responsibility of every nations' embassies and foreign offices to gather information (or the pejorative term "intelligence) about the country in which they are posted. If the Indonesian embassy in Canberra is not doing exactly the same, then they are not doing their job. It is simply a question of deciding which lengths to go to are appropriate. However, this has all happened before, and as Thom says, it is chiefly a domestic performance and all Australia needs to do is remain polite, stay in our seat, and perhaps applaud courteously when the act draws to it's finish.

blax5:

15 Nov 2013 3:56:13pm

My take would be that the surveillance is essentially an act of two-timing. That it can be seen as just a momentary glitch which can be glossed over with charm and a smile is not quite realistic in my view. Asians and Europeans think in longer bows so underneath it will bubble away until the two-timing is gone. But it's not illegal to chase illusions. The proof of this pudding is in the cooperation in asylum seeker issues etc.

Ataraxia:

15 Nov 2013 4:05:12pm

It is one thing for the Australian Government to maintain secrecy about its foreign information gathering; it becomes sinister when it extends this secrecy in relation to domestic matters. Open government seems to have disappeared with the ascension of the ?new kids in the block?. One can only assume that Morrison?s latest manoeuvre to front the press without the General has been forced upon him by the Defence Chiefs. The lameness of the excuse that he does not want to provide people smugglers with ?shipping news? must be apparent to any dispassionate observer (If they are being successful in their approach, such news would be a deterrent to the so-called smugglers.). I wonder if Hockey has considered appointing a three star general to protect us from receiving discouraging financial news. After all, why should the Australian people need to know the real reasons behind Hockey?s demand to raise the debt limit ?

TrevorN:

15 Nov 2013 4:12:50pm

Those Indonesians don't know how lucky they are that Julie chose to give them a "charm offensive" because if she had chosen to do the opposite none of them could have withstood the "cats claws" or her patented death stare without chucking in the towel.

Frank:

15 Nov 2013 4:19:35pm

Gotta love diplomacy (not), and with Indonesia it's all one way traffic. Time to play hardball and stop pussy footing artound over this people smuggling business. Don't go into their waters, and repel anything coming out. Used to be we had the right to do that, until of course the people smuggling industry and do-gooders took charge. Australia is the one being played for suckers and perhaps Indonesia would thgink again if all foreign aid was pulled from them and the money given instead to the UN so they can place the one's entering this place by illegal means at the back of the que in a UN sponsored refugee camp. If this was to happen, I wonder how many genuine refugee claims there would be from the que-jumpers.

Rhino:

JMJ:

15 Nov 2013 4:24:55pm

Thom, one of the biggest problem with our near neighbour is the changing of the guard & who is actually responsible for making representations on behalf of the Indonesian government. Who would have thought that Dr Dewi Fortuna Anwar's views on asylum seekers were not that of the government. According to the Indonesia's coordinating minister for security and political affairs, Djoko Suyaanto, 'Indonesia's position on asylum seeker returns had remained the same since the Rudd government and would not change under the Government of Tony Abbott'. This is not what the Abbott government has been telling the public & I suspect our intelligence gathering activities were of little use.

ErikaH:

15 Nov 2013 4:37:53pm

Scandals! At least there is something good about the recent Australia verdict: Australians, Indonesians, and the global communities have some interesting and exciting entertainments to watch. One of them is the relationship between Australia and Indonesia. Just like a soap opera

Des des:

15 Nov 2013 4:39:20pm

A good article. Former foreign ministers Rudd and Carr and their ego's and in Rudd's case tantrums are well and truly gone .One cannot imagine Julie Bshop ranting over her Air Force plane menu or hair dryer a la Rudd or the self important theatrics al la Carr. We seem to be embarking into an era of maturity and common sense.

Silver fox:

The last line about muscling up to the new Australian govt - how come we always have to be polite but its ok for them to "muscle up"? Double standard!

If they insist on maintaining corrupt involvement by officials in people smuggling, then its time for us to muscle up as well.

Lets start making noises about reviewing our policy on west Papuan independence, even providing support for west Papuans. The Indonesians quickly learn how important people smuggling is to Australians.

Dr B S Goh, Australian in Asia:

Darren:

15 Nov 2013 4:51:50pm

Thom, you're dreaming. Indonesia clearly do not like coalition governments, as evidenced by John Howards disasterous relationship with Indonesia and now the Abbott government have certainly not passed any test of diplomacy or the Indonesians would be much more supportive publicly and practically. Have you not been paying attention?

NotMyName:

15 Nov 2013 5:11:52pm

Are journalists going to continue writing about Australia in the same manner of the last six years; that has made me think they were writing about a country I didn't live in. This piece about Julia Bishop handled the spying issue wonderfully isn't the impression given by the Indonesian government. We now have a government who is altering our democracy so we will only be informed of what shows them in a good light, cutting all access to information, trying to bully through legislation to suit their paymaster view of the world. I have never seen so many journalists, so quickly dishing out praise to a new government ever, it's right out of the Soviet era control of the population handbook. How long before a new department is created that checks out the negative grammar towards the new government in forums like this with the well intended purpose of re-educate those who can't see the benefits of the new government. I apologise for using the word benefits when discussing the new government, I know how anyone receiving benefits is frowned on by party members'.

Craig2:

15 Nov 2013 5:17:19pm

All good then? Not surprised since the adults are back in charge. No doubt the other side will disagree and go on a name calling exercise. Sad really, when the big hand of reality slaps you across the chops, must be hard to be a labor supporter when your head is on backwards and you keep looking at the past.

James:

15 Nov 2013 5:24:53pm

Thanks Thom. At last some one has written an objective article for The Drum without the usual bluster and confected nonsense. I can only but agree with Thom's analysis.

As a jobbing public servant involved with Indonesian public servants on a regular basis I can attest that at the working level all is going well and the high level megaphone diplomacy is not affecting the routine relationship we have with our nearest neighbour.

What a pity that our media scrum could not recognise Natelagawa's comments for what they really are, which is purely for domestic consumption.

BTW why did not one Aussie journalist call the Indonesians on their use of humint and sigint against Australian targets? We are just as vulnerable.

Perhaps we should also ask Mr Natelegawa to remove all the operatives he has planted here who spy on Indonesian students studying at our universities?

Sandra S:

The fact of the matter is that Coalition government has to cop all the matters resulting from the disastrous six years of Labor government;

. Spying that Coalition is being blamed for would have been done under the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd governments.

. Border Protection was dismantled by Rudd government and the Coalition has now to suffer the consequence of mistake and misplaced 'compassion' by the left bleeding hearts. I assume that they assume that over one thousand drownings represent compassion.

. Coalition government has to deal with Budget deficits and huge debt accumulated by the Labor government.

To think that Labor is now trying to blame the Coalition government for the disasters they created, is laughable.

Peter of WA:

15 Nov 2013 5:47:54pm

And as usual, the opposition launch into their confected affront while ignoring that fact that every country, to one level or another, spies on other countries and it was of course, happening on Rudd and Gillard's watch. Having Burke, Bowen, Plibersek etc fronting as the mouth of Shorten's Labor opposition and listening to their whining and screeching about everything the Abbott government is doing, and doing very successfully, shows how well the Australian people did when they gave Rudd and Labor the big flick.

Kym:

15 Nov 2013 5:49:20pm

Of course they know we are spying!Has anyone bothered to ask the Indonesians, Chinese, Malaysians et al whether they can guarantee that they are not spying on us - of course not.Some may remember that in the aftermath of the Australian involvement in East Timor in 1999 that there was a bit of a fuss about a breakdown in intelligence flows from certain agencies to the Australian forces on the mission. Of course that was all about information gathered on what the Indonesian military was up to, and whether they posed a threat. Does anyone seriously think that Australia would have deployed forces into that operation without some appreciation of what the Indonesians were planning??The Indonesians knew then, and have always known that spying occurred, and is occurring. The current little carry-on is obviously just a bit of fake outrage for internal consumption. And yes, the new Government seems to be handling it quite appropriately, knowing that it'll be a dead issue very soon.

Idiocract:

Sotopanna:

15 Nov 2013 6:39:55pm

Given that Bishop's lack of pre-election preparations for setting a scene for discussions with Indonesians it would appear that she is in deficit with her counterparts. Perhaps they are more sympathetic than was appreciated towards Bishop in her new role.When Bishop is allowed to reveal what the new governments business before aid means for all Pacific nations it shall only then allow an assessment of her performance.An intial perception is that she is light on. Often needed Rudd's viewpoints to configure her own.Surely there is another more capable than Bishop who has been rewarded for backstopping many a Liberal leader.Out of her depth?